North Wicklow sides on the rise Cats too strong for U20s

Key titles for Little Bray and Glenview

IT was the end of the Wicklow League 1989/90 season this week in 1990 and a review of the season appeared in that week’s Wicklow and Bray People newspapers that hit the shelves on Friday, June 8.

The headline to the review article read: Fine start to new decade by Bray sides.

Readers were informed that clubs in Bray had very little to cheer about in the 1980s but that they couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 1990s with Glenview, Little Bray and Wolfe Tone Rangers all winning trophies in the season just concluded.

Skipper Sean Stephens and centre-forward Brian McEvoy were the driving forces as Glenview lost just two matches out of 22 to claim the Premier Division crown for the first time since 1973 in only their second year back in the league. They just missed out on the double when Rathnew beat them 2-1 in the Wicklow Cup final.

Glenview’s near neighbours Little Bray United emerged victorious in the Bishop Cup final, beating the holders, Gorey Rangers ‘B’ 2-0.

Wolfe Tone Rangers were in a class of their own in Division 3A and won the league by a proverbial mile with another Bray team, Fassaroe Celtic, taking the runners-up spot.

But other sides to have a tremendous season were Arklow Town, Rathnew and Emmett Celtic. Arklow won Division 1, finished runners up in the Premier and won both the Youth Cup and Shield titles.

Rathnew completed a magnificent cup double, collecting both the Wicklow Cup and Bank of Ireland FAI Junior Cup Area trophies and taking the Youth League for good measure.

Emmett Celtic emerged victorious in Division 3B with local rivals Carnew finishing as runners up. Emmett Celtic also won the Jubilee Cup, edging out Coolgreany in the final.

Other clubs who won trophies in the 1989/90 season included Ashford Rovers, Coolgreany Rangers, Avonmore, Anner Athletic and Greystones.

The full roll of honour from the Wicklow League season:

Rathnew (runners up: Glenview)

Little Bray (Gorey

Wicklow Cup: Bishop Cup:

Rangers ‘B’)

Premier Shield:

(Kilcoole)

Greystones

Bank of Ireland FAI Junior Cup (Wicklow Area):

Rathnew (Newtown)

Premier Division: Division 1:

Rovers)

Division 2: Giff Cup: Scott Cup: Division 3A: Division 3B:

(Carnew)

Jubilee Cup:

(Coolgreaney)

Youth League:

Town)

Youth Cup:

Town)

Youth Shield:

(Rathnew)

Glenview

(Arklow Town)

Arklow Town (Wicklow

Avonmore (Coolgreany Rangers)

Ashford Rovers (Coolgreany Rangers) Coolgreany Rangers (Avonmore)

Wolfe Tone Rangers (Fassaroe Celtic)

Vickers-Brady Cup:

Anner

Emmett Celtic

Rathnew (Arklow

Arklow Town (Wicklow

Arklow Town

KILKENNY WICKLOW 1-20 0-4

THE Wicklow under-20 hurlers were completely outclassed by Kilkenny in the Leinster championship in Carlow in a midweek fixture in 1990.

Tellingly, Wicklow’s goalkeeper Noel Driver was singled out for high praise in the short report that appeared in the Wicklow and Bray People newspapers that week for having pulled off some magnificent saves over the course of the game.

Wicklow registered 14 wides we are told while Kilkenny were wayward four times.

Pick of the Wicklow team on the evening were Noel Driver, Danny Curran, Noel Goggins, Vinnie Munroe and John Byrne.